Wisdom is one of those traits you just can’t fake, and without it, you can quickly end up in a world of hurt. Of course, the need for wisdom gets magnified by your position and responsibilities in life. Maybe that’s why out of all the gifts God could have endowed him with, King Solomon asked for wisdom (via Bible Gateway). And tradition tells us he became renowned for this characteristic above all others. Of course, wisdom didn’t live and die with Solomon. 

So, what does this term imply? Think of it as the “utterance of wisdom” or the “word of wisdom” (via Spiritual Gifts Test). Why? Because wisdom requires both the will and the intellect, permitting believers to see things (as much as humanly possible) from God’s perspective. According to Catholic Answers, “Wisdom is both the knowledge of and judgment about ‘divine things’ and the ability to judge and direct human affairs according to divine truth.”

What are some obvious signs that believers have the gift of wisdom? According to Christianity, Paul describes signs of wisdom as doing things pleasing to God, leading a worthwhile life, and increasing in knowledge of the Lord. In other words, it’s not about being a know-it-all or winning the “Religious” topics column of a Jeopardy tournament. Instead, it’s about recognizing godly principles and then putting them into practice through sound decision-making, per St. Joseph’s Modesto.

Counsel and prudence prove inextricable. Or, as Learn Religions puts it, “Counsel … is the perfection of the cardinal virtue of prudence.” All people can practice prudence, but only those gifted by the Holy Spirit will experience counsel. That’s because counsel is supernatural versus prudence, which is natural. What’s more, prudence takes time and requires considerable thought and soul searching. But counsel comes instantaneously and extraneously.

How does counsel interact with other gifts such as wisdom and understanding? In a nutshell, it takes both gifts to the next level, permitting people to get at the fundamental nature of the Christian faith’s great mysteries. But it doesn’t end there. Counsel allows believers to make decisions that bring glory to God (via John XXIII).

Besides rapid-fire discernment and actions dedicated to God, counsel also comes with a promise for believers who stand up for the Lord in faith, as reported by St. Joseph’s Modesto. What’s the promise? That the Holy Spirit will guide these individuals to defend the Church during times of hardship and persecution.

We’ve already covered “wisdom,” but where does “knowledge” fit into the mix? According to Shepherds of the Lost, knowledge permits the body of believers to recognize and gather necessary information. Then, it enables them to analyze and clarify said information in terms of their faith. This especially relates to knowledge with a direct impact on the Church.

What does this revelation look like? Discussed in the Gospels, the Book of Acts, and Paul’s letters to the Corinthians, the supernatural bestowing of knowledge comes in many forms (via the Blue Letter Bible). These forms may include a word, dream, or other communication, and they can convict an individual or a whole group of the faithful. Yet, it’s all for naught without the ability to discern God’s voice in contrast to human nature. So, the gift of knowledge comes accompanied by this ability, too.

Some serious consequences related to the gift of knowledge have occurred over the centuries. Misuse of the gift has even resulted in fracturing of the Christian faith. After all, one man’s word of knowledge is another man’s heresy, especially in the “case of secrets revealed.” And if the person or group to whom the knowledge has been disclosed swells with pride or becomes haughty over the whole thing, it can open a Pandora’s Box, spelling trouble for all involved. Just think first-century Gnostics, 20^th century Branch Davidians, or even the outlandish premise of Dan Brown’s “Da Vinci Code” books (via Oxford University Press Scholarship).

We know what you’re thinking … Didn’t we just discuss fear of the Lord? Yep, but we can’t stop there. You see, fear of the Lord is considered so important, it also gets attention as one of the seven gifts (via St. Joseph Catholic Church). The concept requires more explanation, especially if you’re visualizing a tiny human crouched in a corner, hiding from God.

It’s an understatement when Catholic Straight Answers writes, “Perhaps no other gift of the Holy Spirit is so misunderstood.” After all, few terms prove as loaded as the word “fear.” What does it refer to? The believers’ reaction to the majesty and glory of God. Hint: This reaction should involve “awe and wonder.” These feelings should lead the faithful to a deeper appreciation and love of the Lord.

What’s more, Catholics see a fascinating link between fear of the Lord and the virtue of hope. While many of us would initially think of fear and hope as opposites, church fathers have long argued that recognizing the greatness of the Lord leads to hope in the promises He made to His followers. St. Thomas Aquinas classified the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit in terms of their function. The first four dealt with the intellect. And the last three (including the fear of the Lord)? Aquinas argued that they “direct the will toward God.”

The seven spiritual gifts first show up in the Old Testament’s Book of Isaiah, but information about the Ruach Ha-Kodesh goes back to the first verses of Genesis (via St. Joseph’s Modesto). In these verses, the Spirit shares a creative role with the Father and the Son. As a result, both natural and supernatural gifts have a connection with the Holy Ghost.

Catholicism continues to place a strong emphasis on cultivating the virtues (natural qualities) and perfecting them through the seven spiritual gifts (supernatural manifestations). But many Protestant sects of Christianity don’t give them much of a second thought. As Dr. Roger Barrier wrote for Crosswalk, “It breaks my heart that the spiritual gifts don’t seem to be taught or emphasized much throughout Christendom these days.”

Why does Barrier feel so passionate about the gifts? Because he argues that these gifts are “critical for the Church to function properly in society.” That said, believers also need to be careful when attempting to view their spirituality through the lens of these seven gifts. Otherwise, it can lead to everything from superficial religiosity to big egos, divisions within the Church to full-on crazy cults that make the nightly news. But that’s another story for another time.